


Moonlight Snow

by Yamiyoru



Category: Persona 4, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Denial of Feelings, Depression, Disney World & Disneyland, Divorce, Fairytale Reimagined, Fluff, I Tried, M/M, Moon Child - Freeform, Rapunzel Elements, Xeroderma Pigmentosum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-09-17 10:37:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9319913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yamiyoru/pseuds/Yamiyoru
Summary: A Rapunzel re-imagined modern AU that no one asked for. Yosuke has a condition that disallows him to be under the Sun. Unable to leave his house, he has no friends and the closest thing he has to it is Souji, his only friend. A bittersweet story of a Moon Child and his Sun.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. 
> 
> Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP) is the condition I’m basing it off. It’s both intriguing and depressing. Go read up on it and you’ll get what I mean.
> 
> Semi American-Japanese culture. And as usual, I did not proofread it.

**Moonlight Snow**

‘Hibiko! Thanks for coming down!’

Souji’s hand was released from his mother’s grasp as she returned a hug. He did not mind the sudden loss of his mother's warmth, as the little boy was preoccupied with the tiny pair of sneakers beside his. It was the same design that his mother refused to buy for him and here were two pairs of different colours, sitting on the landing. So preoccupied that he did not react when his mother’s friend gave him a pat on the head or squirm when he was scooped and deposited on the couch. 

‘Juice for him and your favorite Mango Pop for you?’

‘I would usually say “don’t bother. I’m on a diet” but you know what? Give me your biggest cup.’

‘That’s my old gal. Here.’

‘Thanks.’

‘Seriously though, how are you holding up?’

‘We both decided it’s better for him. It’s hard but I’ll live. Enough about me. I didn't come here to pour this on you. How’s your little boy doing?’

‘We’re still waiting for the test results.’

Slipping and dipping into the leather, Souji’s eyes wandered in the artificially lit living room while sipping on cold orange juice, which tasted especially good in the afternoon heat. Sucking on the straw with minimal effort, Souji tried not to move too much, scared that it might make his mother angry again. His parents had not been in the best of moods recently.

‘Is it severe?’

‘Hopefully the test results will say no but according to the doctor, it might deteriorate as they grow older so only time will tell us.’ 

Tuning out the adult talk that he did not understand, Souji traced the black sprouts covering the plastic cup.

‘Mommy?’ 

A voice squeaked to his left and he looked up to see another boy looking at them through a gap of a door that was closed a minute ago. 

‘Honey? Remember Auntie Hibiko and Souji from last Christmas? Come out and say hi.’ 

The boy paused, lowered his eyes to the floor for a while and then, shook his head slowly.

‘Yosuke, it’s alright now.’ 

And the boy named Yosuke shook his head again. This time, faster and with determination.

‘What happened?’ 

‘His _lovely_ daddy wanted to prevent him from running all over the house when he’s healing. So he did it by scaring him and see! He’s too afraid to come out now. Hai...that moron.’

‘Men, right? I get it. I know a certain idiot who told this one here,’ said his mother and he felt the weight of her palm resting on his head. He did not enjoy the rough ruffle of his hair that came after. 

‘That a true man stares down their enemy and we almost had to get stitches from a dog bite. Luckily, our pet tabby chased it away in time.’

‘Maru chan is my hero.’ Souji asserted and his mother’s friend beamed down at him. 

‘So I should get a cat? Gin’s allergic to them. Oh ooh, he’s gonna have a blast with them! Serve him right.’

‘Haha. As great as that sounds, maybe not. I’m thinking of letting my boy try. Souji, can you help Auntie Rikka and get Yosuke for her?’

Souji nodded carefully. For the orange juice, he would. Passing the cup back, Souji climbed off the sofa with his mother’s help and walked towards the room across. 

Yosuke was huddling against the bed rest when he slipped in, hugging a big fluffy teddy bear like he wanted to squeeze the dear life out of it. 

‘Yosuke?’

‘Yes?’ 

‘Why is your room so dark?’ 

Souji had forgotten his mission once he entered, more curious to why Yosuke would rather stay in a completely darkened room. The only light was through the gap of the bedroom door and little Souji did not really like the dark. Especially the one under his bed back home. 

‘The Sun hurt me. So my daddy said to never go under it again. Or the Sun will make my skin come off, which hurts more.’ 

Even in the limited light, Souji could see Yosuke clutched the toy tighter. Stuffing was going to come out from the neck.

‘It hurts right now?’ 

‘No, but it’s very itchy.’

Climbing onto the bed to sit before the other, Souji reached out to touch the hand around the bear, who drew his legs in more to give Souji space.

‘So you can’t leave because of the Sun? Are you a vampire?’

‘No. I don’t drink blood.’ Offended, Yosuke tried shifting away.

‘Then, like Rapunzel. She can’t leave her house too.’ 

‘I don’t live in a tower.’ 

‘You live on the highest floor.’ 

‘An apartment isn’t a tower. And there’s no witch here.’ And Yosuke returned to choking the bear.

‘That’s because she’s not a witch but Rapunzel’s fairy godmother. She’s helping Rapunzel build a tower into the sky to find Rapunzel’s mother, who’s the Queen of the Moon. And they found the Queen with a bunch of bunnies and they live happily ever after.’ 

‘No! You’re getting the story wrong. I’ll show you the book.’ 

Putting the poor bear down beside the pillow, Yosuke hopped off the bed and ran out of the room to look for his mommy. 

‘Mommy! I want to show Souji the story of Rapunzel!’

‘Wow. I honestly didn't think it would work. Looks like I can put him on fetching duties with Maru.’

As Souji exited the room to follow Yosuke, he heard a sharp slap and his mother rubbing her thigh while forcing a smile at the puzzled children.

‘Hibiko, they’re not animals.’ 

‘They sure are tiny like one.’

‘Wait till they hit puberty.’

His mother did not answer that immediately, choosing to take a long gaze at Souji and said, ‘I’ll cry.’ 

‘Seriously, Hibiko?’ Auntie Rikka rolled her eyes and stood up to carry Yosuke into the playroom. 

His mother shrugged and pulled Souji up into her lap to fit nicely in her hug with a kiss to the back of his head. ‘Thank you, Souji.’ 

.  
..  
...

Souji did not understand then as he was still very young. It was later when he grew up, at his Coming of Age ceremony, Souji realized what his mother meant was her worries if he would grow up into a fine man.

‘I’m glad you grew up well without me worrying. Even in this broken family. Thank you, Souji.’ His mother held back her tears as she adjusted his tie. 

Souji supposed he did or that was what his mother and Auntie Rikka kept telling him and he kept it a secret that he almost went down another path, if not for Yosuke; his secret holder.

His mother cried miserably when his parents’ divorce was finalised and Souji had stood there, doing nothing but watching Auntie Rikka console her. Each night, Yosuke lent him his teddy so he could sleep or whisper to him about cartoons and so on till he fell asleep.

And yet, he could not do the same, back to Yosuke for all those nights. Souji walked into the house to find his childhood friend hugging Auntie Rikka and wailing that it was unfair. Souji froze again, not knowing what to do, not realizing he was more fortunate than he made himself to be. Only loathing the crying and sadness surrounding him.

_Stop crying!_

So Souji turned a blind eye to emotions and covered his own with indifference. Not seeing the wall he built and the holes he was digging for others to fall in.

.  
..  
...

‘Who’re they?’ 

‘My classmates. Here for a project. Come on, we need the space.’ Souji answered as he tried to drag Yosuke off the sofa, which the other was lounging across. 

‘Souji, this is my house. Not yours. Don’t order me around.’

Maybe it was the heat fueling his anger, Souji pulled a little too hard and not expecting Yosuke to not put up a fight, he caused the other to drop onto the floor hard. There was an awkward silence and Souji tried to help Yosuke up, but pushed away by the fair hands, which were shaking.

Yosuke broke it with a hollow laugh. ‘I was kidding. Knock yourself out. In this.’ 

A wave at the air, Yosuke wobbled back to his room, disappearing behind the corner. Souji pushed aside how weak Yosuke sounded or the whiteness in his lips. He did not care if the house was practically burning with a spoilt AC unit and opened the windows in the kitchen and living room to let some wind in, and to block out his classmates’ grumbles. 

He was relieved when at last, they were finished for the day. He needed a breather outside.

As Souji was putting his shoes on, he waited for the group to gather from a leak and noticed one of the guys came from around the corner and thought it was a little weird. He remembered saying the restroom was at the end of the room, not around but he did not think much of it. 

_He should have cared more. About everything._

It was at least another 2 hours when Souji finally returned home with bags full of groceries and happened to look up. Perhaps to glare at the human sized oven, which was then he saw something was out of the place. The window of Yosuke’s room, that should always be closed, was pushed up and the curtain fluttering in the wind. 

_Oh no._

For the first time in a long while, Souji felt worries welling up and his heart sitting in his throat. Was Yosuke still in his room? 

With the summer sun shining so brightly behind him, Yosuke’s room would be lit up completely.

Pressing the elevator button repeatedly, Souji has never felt the lift moved this slowly in his life. Why was it on the damn sixth floor? Abandoning it, Souji decided to ran his way up the stairs, to the eighteen floors and he could care less. He ignored Kanji when he passed the bigger guy.

‘Yosuke!’

Throwing the door open, Souji ran through the house to where Yosuke’s room was and he did not like how the natural light was coming in. Slamming the window down, harder than he should, Souji quickly pulled the blinds back into place. But Yosuke was not in his room.

‘Hey, dude. Everything’s alright?’

Kanji’s voice sounded from the entrance area but there were better things to care about first.

‘Yosuke!’

 _Where is he!!_

At this point, Souji was close to panicking as Yosuke was not in the entire house either. The way Yosuke moved back to his room, he was too weak to leave the house. Not to mention Yosuke cannot with his condition but he could always make sure and opened Yosuke’s wardrobe to look for the protective helmet. 

And out tumbled Yosuke. Behind him, he could hear Kanji’s gasp who had let himself in. To avoid the sunlight that was coming into the house from every window, Yosuke had hid in the closet and Souji was not sure if he should be relieved or not. He cried when the first thing that Yosuke said after regaining consciousness was “wal the”. 

Souji had never felt guiltier in his entire life. 

.  
..

‘I’m sorry. It’s my fault.’ Souji said softly as he sat down on Yosuke’s bed, staring at his hands, which were useless in catching Yosuke when he fell out of the closet. Or helping him either. It was Kanji who carried Yosuke to the bed and shouted at Souji to stay here while he get a doctor.

‘It’s okay, Souji. It wasn’t you who did it. And see, it’s just a heat stroke. No biggie.’ Yosuke tried to convince Souji he was fine but Souji’s pained expression was saying otherwise. Yosuke knew what his childhood friend was thinking and to be honest, he was not sure how to argue with guilt so he did what he does best; cover things up. ‘We’re keeping it a secret, okay?’ 

‘What! Why? You need to go for a proper check up.’ 

‘It’s fine. I don’t like the hospital. Or that stupid costume. Don’t make me wear it again. It’s lame and people laughs.’

To end the conversation, Yosuke nudged Souji off the bed with his foot and turned to face the wall. It was not the children pointing at him or their laughs that bothered him. It was the thought of Souji getting into trouble over a mistake that his friend did not make, which he felt was unfair to Souji; his accomplice who had helped to sneak him out into the playground before.

However, it would be a lie if Yosuke said he was not scared. To compensate it, he did his best to be extra careful, to avoid the sunlight at all cost and taped the curtains to avoid any opening from indoor drafts. Yosuke also increased his limitation from going out at night to watching the outside from his window than being a participant. Not even the rare Tokyo snow could tempt him.

And Yosuke was alright with it. Except life was never kind to him as Souji took the message wrongly, seeing it as him taking Yosuke’s freedom away and ate himself up over it. 

Even after years passed, to reveal Yosuke was immensely lucky to escape any repercussion from the sunbathing but by then, Souji’s guilt had blown up into the size of a dragging tumour and reason cells were dead. To the point whenever Summer made its visit, Souji stuck himself like glue to Yosuke everyday and stayed by Yosuke’s side, like as if the middle school ‘tragedy’ would simply just happen again. 

It annoyed Yosuke to no end, as even though he was grateful to have Souji back in his life, he would prefer Souji to be out there in the world. Not in his room and doing nothing when he knew Souji has friends. _A lot of them._

So in the end, Yosuke acted on Souji’s guilt and kicked the latter out with errands and difficult demands that required more than one person. He was aware his parents thought he was bullying Souji but he ignored their frowns. If it made Souji stop living in his enclosed world, he could care less. Not that he had long to care what anyone thinks of him.

It worked well for him too as he got to meet Souji’s friends and soon, he observed that most of them were girls. Secretly, he was jealous and joked insensibly that his life did not count if he did not get a girl by their Coming of Age ceremony. 

And of course, Souji took it seriously, inviting girl after girl to their home. Yosuke did not realize what Souji was doing to himself, until Kanji came upstairs to gossip about the rumors spreading up and down the apartment. Yosuke almost face-palmed but luckily, Souji’s luck with girls came to an end, showing up with a dark red hand print on his cheek. It was confirmed Souji was indeed trying to find Yosuke a girlfriend and when he revealed the reason to the girl, she slapped him. Hard. 

.  
..

Girls were a mystery.

‘Seriously, Souji? What were you thinking?’

And Yosuke was just as bad. Was Yosuke not the one who wanted a girlfriend?’

‘Ouch. That hurts.’

But at least Yosuke was nice enough to shove the bag of frozen peas up against his cheek.

‘Can you get any denser than this? Don’t tell me you sink in the pool.’

‘What do you mean?’

Then, Yosuke sighed loudly, rudely, twice at his face and went back to his room, leaving Souji to fathom over the two greatest mysteries. 

.  
..  
...

It certainly did not help his case when he stepped in one day to find Yosuke and Kanji sitting dangerously close to each other on the couch. Yosuke’s face was scrunched up and looked like he was constipated, when from his angle, it looked like Kanji was trying to kiss his friend. 

Noticing his presence, they both stopped. Kanji blushed furiously and stood up immediately to push past Souji for the door. No attempt of proper sounding words was made as the bigger guy walked himself out. 

‘What's that?’ Yosuke challenged the other guy left in the house. 

‘......’ Souji would not rise to it and bite the carrot Yosuke was dangling before him. 

Time was ticking down to zero and the behavior of both boys worsened each day.

‘Face it, Souji. I have a condition that is untreatable and the last I checked, most of us don’t live beyond 20. I want to know what it’s like to love before I, I...’

_Don’t say the word._

So Souji beat him to it. If no one said it, then it was not true. 

‘And that justifies you experimenting? That’s not love.’

‘You’re damn right, Souji. It sure isn’t with Kanji.’

Pulled down by his tie, Souji felt Yosuke’s teeth smashed onto his own. It was for a split second and Yosuke released him with a glare, bumping their shoulders roughly as he went back to his room. Once again, leaving Souji outside with a cut lip, who also flinched a little at the door that was slammed in his face. 

.  
..

At dinner, their mothers looked at the two nervously and back to their rice. Both their sons were acting strange. One was not complaining about the extra pinch of salt on the grilled mackerel and the other was not complaining about anything. One was chewing the food quietly and the other just stabbed at it.

 _Must be the summer heat_ their mothers concluded and left the two boys to settle it themselves. They called them boys and really, they were almost 20. Well enough to be adults and to settle their misunderstandings on their own. 

Souji slipped into Yosuke’s room when their mothers offered to wash the plates. Yosuke was lying on his side and sulking at the wall. Letting his weight sink into the mattress, Souji tugged at one particular strand of the mess of brown hair. Eventually, Yosuke would turn around to grab his hands but this time, no. Yosuke was determined to ignore him.

Fine, two could play this game then and Souji had an abundant amount of patience. Digging into the mop, he let the hair slide through his fingers. He said brown but under the light, it was bronze, dyed with a pack that Yosuke begged him to buy. Souji still remembered how angry Aunt Rikka was when she saw the bleached hair, which was all expected. Yosuke was born with sensitive skin and of course, how Yosuke convinced him to buy the box in the first place.

 _‘What’s the worst that could happen? Ground me? I’m grounded for life. Cut my allowance? What use do I have for money that I can’t spend on? Clothes for no one to appreciate?’_

And Souji fell prey to his pity for his friend without regret. The colour did look good on Yosuke. It would be nice if he gets to see Yosuke dress up once in awhile but Yosuke would probably do that for a girl he likes instead.

‘What’s the kiss for?’

‘Go drown yourself in the bath.’

‘You know how dense I can be so explain to me. Or I’m going to start guessing?’ 

‘Fine. Remember your version of “Rapunzel” when we were small?’

‘The one I made it up on the spot? That’s not “Rapunzel”.’

‘I know. I was determined to prove you wrong but that’s not what I’m asking. What I’m asking is if yours is a fairytale, where’s the Prince in your story?’

‘Prince?’

‘Let me finish the story for you.’ 

_Living on the moon with only her mother, Godmother and a bunch of rabbits, there weren’t much of a conversation going on. And so Rapunzel was bored. Veee~ry bored. The only thing she could do was to look down at the people below and watch them live their days out. Even the simplest thing like walking their cows was more interesting than what she was given to do._

_One day, she saw a young man looking up at the sky. He was sighing at the moon. Taking interest in this young man, Rapunzel spent her hours watching him. As the days went by, she realized he’s a Prince. A very busy and diligent Prince, who tried his best to make every townsfolk happy._

_By the time he was done, the Moon was already high in the sky, the only time when the Prince had some space for himself. That was when she also saw how tired the Prince was and how lonely he was._

_Rapunzel’s heart ached for the Prince and she descended the tower in her best dress to see him. Under the Sun, her appearance changed but she bore with it. She entered the palace to find the Prince but the guards would not let her, calling her dirty and ugly._

_Sneaking in through the garden, where the thorns had torn her skirt and skin, she found herself in front of the Prince’s room and right there, sitting on the window was the Prince himself. She wanted to cheer him up but she realized she didn’t even bring a gift. She had nothing to give the Prince. Rapunzel only had herself; a shabby looking girl in a dirty dress with only her name, her words and her smile._

_It was then, a patrolling guard found her. ‘You dirty rat!’ he shouted and gave chase._

_Frightened and lost, Rapunzel escaped back into the tower. The only place she has left._

_Right behind her, came running in was the Prince. Inside, he found a spiral staircase leading into the heavens and he climbed it. However, at the top, into the clouds, he did not find Rapunzel or the fair maiden on the Moon he saw each night. Only snow that floated down, which melted when it touched the ground below. The End._

‘That’s it?’

‘Yup. As if there’ll be a happy ending to that story.’ 

‘I see.’ 

Snuggling into Yosuke, Souji made himself comfortable and fit himself against Yosuke. The way they slept together as children and he missed those innocent times when he could just say, ‘I like how warm you are. Like a heat pad perfect for winter.’ 

Without Yosuke replying, ‘Souji, I’m kicking you off the bed.’ 

Yosuke had grown too, smaller than him but Yosuke had a lot of restless energy. In retaliation, Souji thrown his arms around Yosuke as Mr. Teddy now sat on the shelf, not the bed. Souji needed a substitution. 

‘And you know. To every good story, there’s always a epilogue.’

‘Bullshit.’

‘It’s your turn to listen.’

 _The Prince gave up eventually. As he made his way down the same dusty stairs, he heard faint crying travelling up. When he reached the bottom, he found the source of the cries. Hiding behind the stairs was a lady with long beautiful bronze hair, sobbing stains into the torn grey linen skirt she was wearing. It was then the Prince realized this was the girl that tried to cheer him up in the Garden and the Princess of the Moon he always saw looking down at him._

_How foolish he was to not see it. When his Princess was there for him. Wiping her tears, he carried her out of the tower, under the moon lighting up the forest path for them. My dear Princess, where do you like to go under this beautiful night sky?’ The Prince ask—_

‘So cheesy and so cliche.’

‘Everyone likes a happy ending.’

Giving the back of Yosuke’s head a kiss, Souji asked, ‘my dear prince, on Coming of Age, you want to go to Disneyland with me? It’s a dating spot and they are open at night now. Not to mention it’s freezing there and I know how much you like that.’

And Yosuke pretended to snore. 

.  
..  
...

Letting his heavy backpack slide off his shoulder, Souji collapsed heavily onto the sofa. Who said University was for play? Absolutely bull. And his lecturers must be in cahoots to screw his time schedule this year. The earliest class and the latest one combined meant he woke up at 6 and reached home at 10. So exhausted he almost forgot the anniversary.

‘Where do you want to go celebrate this year? We didn’t go to the ice skate rink last year because you fell sick.’

Silence followed and Souji tilted his head upward to look through the kitchen pass through, into an empty kitchen. And he sat up to take the photo frame off the coffee table and smiled at Yosuke’s pose with a snow rabbit they made at the entrance of Disneyland.

From across the house, Souji heard the bathroom door slides open and heavy steps.

‘What did you say?’

**Author's Note:**

> Did I get anyone for a second with that ending? *ahem* I’m terrible and evil. Lol. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and leave a comment if you please.
> 
> Tbh, I have a even darker version of this, in which ‘Rapunzel’ suffers from XP and their loving Mother kept ‘Rapunzel’ away in a tower to keep the ‘princess’ safe from the Sun. However, in the olden times, they do not understand it and thought ‘Rapunzel’ is a descendent of a Vampire or sort, and tried to burn ‘Rapunzel’ while they are still in the tower. As for our Prince Charming, he’s somewhere….


End file.
